2. Storybird: Collaborative Storytelling Approach

Storybird is a web 2.0 tool created by Mark Ury that supports the collaborative storytelling with the use of art galleries that inspire people to create stories. It is available at www. storybird.com and learners can activate a free personal account to write narratives using images to create storyboards. 

When creating a storyboard, learners can discuss what they want their story to say, how to structure it and what images to use. The creation of storyboards as a prewriting strategy helps learners develop their writing skill.

Before the invention of web 2.0 tools, digital storyboards were likely to be created by using pictures and/or images from the internet, nowadays web 2.0 tools like Storybird can provide the images learners need, systematically organized. When working on Storybird, learners decide whether writing the story at the same time working synchronously in the classroom, or at home working asynchronously online by switching turns until the end of the story. Storybird has a huge list of galleries, the images can be arranged in slides as preferred and students are able to modify its content. Educators might find it useful at any educative level, from primary school with literacy purposes where English is spoken as the native language, up to higher education and English courses for ESL or EFL students. 

Storybird is a collaborative storytelling tool. Students can choose the art and create their own stories by dragging and dropping pictures and creating a story to match.

This tool is a great tool for the teachers to be implemented in the class to enhance collaborative writing.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

How to sign up for storybird

How to get started :)

How to use storybird to collaboratively

How to embed your storybird in a website

The following is the example of storybird that I have created. Have fun reading :) 

How I Met Your Aunties

1. Edmodo: Language Learning

The rise of the Internet and online communication technologies has changed the way people work, communicate, socialize, and learn as a ‘network society’. 

Research conducted by the British Council in 2007 revealed that 69% of learners around the world said that they learned most effectively when socializing informally, and students with strong social networks performed well academically. Moreover, on-line social networks are an excellent communication tool for knowledge construction based on social relations, conversation, collaboration, and shared work. 

Therefore, in this post I would like to suggest a new media, called Edmodo. This website is a free and secure learning platform designed by Jeff O'Hara and Nick Borg in 2008 for teachers, students, parents, schools, and districts. This site looks similar to Facebook, but is much more private and safe because it allows only teachers to create and manage accounts, and only their students, who receive a group code and register in the group, can access and join the group.

Edmodo is considered quite a “new” media in Malaysia. However, it is widely used by language instructors to promote language learning. LizziePinard (2004) has implemented Edmodo with language learners to make homework more interesting. She took Edmodo as a platform to support the development of their language learning autonomy. She summarized 5 ways of using Edmodo with language learners.

Five Creative Ways of using Edmodo:

1. Article sharing and discussion

This activity gives learners the opportunity to express their thoughts, opinions and ideas related to a newspaper or magazine article and see what others think. This uses both receptive (reading) and productive (writing) skills, and enables authentic, communicative use of language between students outside of class time.

A learner finds an article that he or she thinks is interesting and posts the link to Edmodo, along with a short paragraph explaining why they think it is interesting and an opinion related to the topic.

Other learners in the class can then read the article and respond to the original poster with their own ideas and thoughts.

2. Listening task generation

This activity is adapted from Vandergrift and Goh (2012). They call it a “peer listening task” (Vandergrift and Goh, 2012: kindle loc 3923), whose goal is to facilitate extensive listening. The idea is that learners create a listening task for their classmates to carry out.

Learners find a youtube clip or podcast in English. The students will have to post a link to this clip on Edmodo, along with some questions about it. The teacher checks the questions to make sure they are correct and clear, making any suggestions/corrections by responding to the post.

The learner can edit the questions according to the teacher’s and their friends’ feedback.

3. Time for a chat!

This is a very simple activity but potentially a very beneficial way of recycling language met in class in a communicative, meaningful way.

Any learner may start a conversation on Edmodo, on any topic,by posting a conversation opener. Other learners respond and the conversation develops. This kind of activity has the potential in helping the students to communicate and share their ideas on the related topic in a meaningful way. By doing so, it helps to promote the teaching and learning in class.

The conversation continues until learners run out of things to say.

4. Let’s Cook!

This activity might not be that appealing to all learners but the students will have the opportunities to use the language in the given activity.

Learners have to try and cook friends’ recipes and post pictures of the finished product on Edmodo. They can tell their friends what they think of the recipes and find out what their friends think about their own recipes.

5. Reporting a conversation

Edmodo allows the students to group together in a “club” online” to discuss on certain topics. Subsequently, learners write about it on Edmodo. This kind of activity helps the students to use the language in discussing their favourite topic online. The students subconsciously acquire new vocabularies and learn new ideas in the discussion.

The Last Lecture

It's the last lecture! How time flies! It's the last lesson of the Telecommunication & Networking. However, lecture goes on as normal. Now, let's proceed to what I've learned.

Internet Infrastructure
Hierarchy of Networks:

• From a single computer to LAN (Local Area Network)
• From LAN to ISP (Internet Service Provider)
• From ISP to www

Internet Protocol (IP) --> internet standard protocol (provide a common layer over dissimilar network)

• Every computer assign unique IP address.
• IP address : consists of 32 bits (shown as 4 octets of numbers from 0-225 represented in decimal form instead of binary)

IP address consists of 2 parts:

1. Identifying the network
2. Identifying the node/host

• Class of addresses determines which part belongs to the network address & which part belongs to the node.

Classes of network are summarized in the following figures. Enjoy reading =)

Class A, Class B, Class C

Are you ready? More to go!! =)


Class A, B, C, D, E

Domain Name System (DNS) -->an Internet system that translates domain name. 

For example : translates www.hotwired.com into numerical IP (Internet Protocol) addresses like 204.62.131.129

In other words, it is the naming scheme which consists of a hierarchical sequences of names, from the most specific to the most general (left to right), separated by dots. e.g. moe.gov.my

DNS Hierarchy 

Wondering why we need DNS?

It is becuase domain names are alphabetic (easier to remember)

Without it, we'd all be memorizing long numbers instead of intuitive URLs or email addresses. 

And that wouldn't be much fun, wouldn't it? =)

Internet Service Provider (ISP) 

• also called IAPs (Internet Access Providers)
• is a company (provides access to the Internet)

For a monthly fee, the service provider gives you a software package, username, password and access phone number. 

Equipped with a modem, you can then log on to the Internet and browse the World Wide Web or send and receive email. 

In Malaysia, the most popular ISP is TMNet. 

PROMO!! 

What are you waiting for? Sign up NOW!!! LOL

Once you connect to the ISP, they will give your computer and IP address so that it will be recognize on the

Internet to be able to share information among the netters.

HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) 

• The underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web
• defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in responses to various commands. 

Example:

When you enter a URL in your browser, this actually send an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page from a Web server onto a browser in order to view a Web page that is on the Internet. 

HTTP only transfers the contents of web page into a browser for viewing. 

Little Reflection of the Day♥

Telecommunication advances in computer based networking are fast becoming a vital information tool and resource in the field of education. Telecommunication network innovations are having a tremendous impact on increasing and enhance teacher training programs. The evaluation of the educational really benefits of telecommunications includes delivery of resources and training between educators and students.

Last but not least, a big thanks to my lecturer, Dr. Dayang. You are really an awesome lecturer! I know I'll  be missing the moments with you in class =)

The Lesson

Forum and chatting----->topic of the group presentation today =)

Before our presentation, Dr. Dayang introduced these to us. Let's proceed!


Bluetooth

• an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs)
• connect & exchange information between devices e.g. mobile phones, laptop, PCs, printers, digital cameras, video games consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency. 
• Frequency-->2.4Ghz
• Data speed-->up to 3Mbps

Advantages 

• Wireless
• Communication increase
• Support half & full duplex communication
• Low power consumption (no batteries used)
• Spread spectrum frequency hopping

Disadvantages

• Cost of the manufactures: components
• Too technologically advanced
• Ease of use

How Bluetooth works??

1. 2 Bluetooth equipped devices simply have to come within 10m range of each other
2. A device must request a connection either to accept/reject

The sending device (client)
Receiving devices (server) 
All Bluetooth devices can operate as both client and server

Concept: focused on point-to-point & point-to-multiple connection with small network called piconets.
Each piconets hold up 8 active units

When multiple network exist within the same room, they are known as a scatternet.

Future Development 

Bluetooth Ultra-Low Power Watch

Broadband

• a term used to compare frequency bandwidth

Bandwidth = the amount of data that can be sent from one computer to another through a particular connection in a certain amount of time

The more bandwidth available, the faster we are able to access information. 

"In the 21st century, affordable, ubiquitous broadband networks will be as critical to social and economic prosperity as networks like transport, water and power," said Dr Hamadoun I Touré, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union.

Infrared Data Transmission

• IrDA (Infrared Data Association)-->an industry standard for wireless communication with infrared light
• enables communication with other devices e.g. printers, modems, LANs, other laptops
• requires line of sight transmission

Infrared Camera

Let's enjoy this funny commercial video =)

The Tutorial =)

Dr. Dayang started the lesson by introducing us the unbounded media.
It is a media that transport electromagnetic wave without physical conductor. Signals are broadcasting through air or water.

Terrestrial Microwave
It requires line-of-sight transmission & reception equipment.

• The taller the antennas, the longer the sight distance. 
• Increasing transmission distance (by installing a system (repeater) with antenna)

Types of antenna 
1. Parabolic dish
2. Horn


Parabolic dish

Solar Parabolic Dish

• Parabolic dish is based on geometry of parabola. 
• It works like a funnel (catching a wide range of waves and directing to a common point called focus)

Horn

• Looks like a gigantic scoop.
• Outgoing transmission are broadcast up a stem & deflected outward in a series of narrow parallel beams by the scooped shape of the horn. 

Radio Frequency

• is a rate of oscillation in the rage of about 3kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves
• alternating currents which carry radio signals. 

Radio Frequency Energy

Radio Frequency Spectrum

Cellular Phone
A mobile phone (known as cellular phone) us a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio ink whilst moving around a wide geographical area.

Functions of a cell phone

Interesting =)

WiFi

• is a popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data (using radio waves) over a computer network. 
• device that can be used-personal computer, video game console, smartphone, tablet, digital audio player
• Hot spot-range of about 20m (65 feet) indoors and a greater range outdoors. 

WiFi networks have limited range. 

A typical wireless access point using 802.11b or 802.11g with a stock antenna might have a range of 32m (120 feet) indoors and 95m (300 feet) outdoors.

Understand more about 3G and 4G =)

Cabling

Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network device to another. In some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable, other networks will use a variety of cable types.

After Dr. Dayang's explanation, I got to know the different types of cable.

• Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
• Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable 
• Fiber Optic Cable
• Wireless LANs

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

• has 4 pairs of wires inside the jacket.
• Each pair is twisted with a different number of twists per inch-to help eliminate interference from adjacent pairs and other electrical devices. 

The standard connector for unshielded twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45 connector. 

Disadvantages : may be susceptible to radio and electrical frequency interference. 

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

• consists of 2 individual wires (wrapped in a foil shielding)-to help provide a more reliable data communication.
• Suitable for environments with electrical interference. 
• used on networks using Token Ring topology.

Coaxial Cable

• has a single copper conductor at its center.
• A plastic layer-provides insulation between center conductor & a braided metal shield
• Metal shield-helps to block any outside interference e.g. fluorescent, lights, motors, other computers. 

Fiber Optics

• consists of a center glass core surrounded by several layers of protective materials.
• transmits light rather than electronic signal

Advantages : 

•  ideal for environment than contain a large amount of electrical interference.
• transmits signals over much longer distances. 

Little Reflection of the day♥
I understand that the correct management of wires will make the difference from a challenging project, and a fast and simple project. Besides that, properly designed and implemented cable management represents a level of professionalism to clients and customers.


Enjoy the video and understand more about cabling =)

Topology, Protocol and Architecture

Today we learnt about network categorization. Networks are usually classified using three properties: Topology, Protocol and Architecture.

Topology specifies the geometric arrangement of the network. Network topology is the study of the arrangement of the elements (links, nodes) of a network, especially the physical (real) and logical (virtual) interconnections between nodes.

Physical Topology: The physical layout of devices on a network or the way that the devices on a network are arranged and how they communicate with each other. 

Logical Topology: The mapping of the flow between the nodes in the network determines the logical topology of the network.


Main Types of Physical Topology
Linear Bus
A linear bus topology consists of a main run cable with a terminator at each end. All nodes (file server, workstations, and peripherals) are connected to the linear cable.

Advantages
- Easy to connect a computer to a linear bus
- Require less cable length than a star topology.
Disadvantages
- Entire network bus shuts down if there is a break in the main cable.
- Terminators are required at both ends of the backbone cable.
- Difficult to identify the problem if the entire network shuts down.
- Not meant to be used as a stand-along solution in a large building.


Star
A star network structures consists of individual computer connected to a central point on the network. Start network are the most common type of a network.
In a star network, each computer is connected to a central network connected, called a hub. All information that transfers from one computer to another on the network passed through the hub.

Advantages
- Easy to install and wire.
- No disruptions to the network when connecting or removing devices.
- Easy to detect faults and to remove parts.
Disadvantages
- Requires more cable length than a linear topology.
- When the hub fails, information can no longer transfer from one computer to another.
- More expensive than linear bus topologies because of the cost of the hubs.


Tree
A tree (hybrid) topology combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of groups of star-configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable.
Tree topology allows for the expansion of an existing network, and enable schools to configure a network to meet their needs.

Advantages
- Point-to-point wiring for individual segments.
Disadvantages
- Overall length of each segment is limited by the type of cabling used.
- Of the backbone line breaks, the entire segment goes down.
- More difficult to configure and wire than other topologies.


Network Protocol 

• Network Protocol specifies a common set of rules and signlas the computers on the network use to communicate. Most networks use Ethernet, but some networks may use IBM Token Ting protocol.

• Other network protocol like LocalTalk protocol allows for linear bus, star, or tree topologies using twiested pair cable. A primary disadvantage of LocalTalk is speed. Its speed of transmission is only 230Kbps. 

• Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) is a network protocol that is used primarily to interconnect two or more local area networks, often over large distances. FDDI uses a dual ting physical topology.

• Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a network protocol that transmits data at a speed of 155Mbsp and higher. ATM works by transmitting all data in small packets of a fixed size; whereas, other protocols transfer variable length packets. ATM supports a variety of media such as video, CD-quality audio and imaging. As ATM technology becomes more cost-effective, it will provide another solution for constructing faster local area networks. 

Summary of Protocol
Ethernet-Linear Bus, Star, Tree
LocalTalk-Star
FDDI-Dual Ring
ATM-Linear Bus, Star, Tree


Network Architecture: Peer-to-peer, Client/server.

Little Reflection of the day♥

Most server design to be upgraded and most improved throughout their lifespan. Hence, before installing a server, it is important to determine the future needs of the server. The network administrator should plan ahead so that server does not have to be replaced with newer models when inexpensive upgrades could be performed.